Hernia pad for abdominal supporting garments



Feb. 18, 1941. G ANT 2,232,381

HERNIA PAD FOR ABDOMINAL SUPPORTING GARMENTS Filed D80. 30, 1938 EULJN ERA NT Patented Feb. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES HERNIA PAD FOR ABDOTMINAL SUPPORTING GARMEN TS Colin Grant, Jackson, Mich, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Samuel YH. Camp, nominee, I Jackson, Mich, a partnership I Application December 30, 1938, Serial No. 248,391

8 Claims.

This invention relates to hernia pads and more particularly to a hernia pad supported on the inside of an abdominal supporting garment.

Hernia pads are usually supported on straps, either soft or spring, the combination being known as a truss. In cases where a patient is required to wear an abdominal supporting belt or the like, it is impossible touse a conventional truss. Furthermore, the shape of the body of the patient sometimes makes it impossible to position and maintain a truss in the exact location desired. The present invention provides a combined abdominal belt and hernia pad, the construction being such that the pad is capable of a variety of adjustments.

An object of the invention is to provide an abdominal belt having an adjustable hernia pad secured therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hernia pad for placement in an abdominal belt having an improved adjustable structure for securing the same to an abdominal belt or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide an abdominal belt having receptacles for receiving connectors attached to hernia pads.

These and other objects will be apparent from the following specification when taken with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 isa perspective view from the front of an abdominal supporting garment for supporting the hernia pad according to the present invention,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view from the rear of the structure disclosed in Fig. 1,

Fig.3 is a perspectiveview of the pad attached to the interior of the structure disclosed in Figs. 1 and '2,

Fig. 4 is a partial side elevation and vertical section of the structure disclosed in Fig. 3 disclosing the manner of securing the attaching arm to the pad, and

Fig. 5 discloses another form of attaching the arm on the pad.

Referring particularly to the drawing, the reference character I indicates an abdominal supporting belt of some suitable character having adjusting lacings 2 at the rear and separable fasteners 3 at the front. The belt I is also provided with leg straps 4-for passing between the legs of the wearer and holding the belt against undesired upward movement.

The belt I preferably is made of some suitable fabric and, as shown, is provided with elastic release portions 5. At the front of the belt I on each side of the center line is stitched a strip of fabric 6 in such a manner as to provide a pair of side by side pocketsor channels I between the strip 6 and the fabric of the belt 1. Within the channels I may be disposed usual steel or whalebone stiffening members. On the inside of the belt I, communicating with the channels I, is

of holes 8.

provided a plurality of holes 8, which are arranged in pairs, the pairs being spaced one above the other.

The holes 8 communicating with the channels I provide receptacles for the receiving of the legs 9 of the resilient fastening member ID secured to a pad I I. The pad II is of some suitable construction and is provided at the rear thereof with a member I2 clamped to the pad II by a screw I3.

The fastening member I0 is in the form of a reversely bent wire reversely bent on itself to provide the legs 9 and a U-portion I4 arranged to be clamped against the rear of the pad II by the member I2. The member I2 is dish-shaped, having the edges thereof scalloped, the scallops being for the purpose of receiving the U-shaped portion I4. Thus, when the portion I4 is clamped by the member I2 against the pad II, the scallops in the edges of the member I2 not only engage with the surface of the pad and prevent its rotation but also prevent the rotation of the portion I4 in the plane of the rear of the pad II.

In applying the pad II to the belt I, the legs 9 are disposed in two opposite holes 8. The holes 8 are arranged in a plurality of pairs spaced one above the other so that the vertical position of the pad II with respect to the belt I may be adjusted by placing the legs 9 in any desired pair vertical position of the pad II with respect to the belt I may be adjusted by loosening the clamping member I2 and by clamping it against a different section of the portion I4 of the fastening member III. Also, the axis of the pad I I may be adjusted with respect to the belt I and also with respect to the portion I4 by raising the clamping member I2 and disposing the portion I4 into a different set of scallops'in the edge of the member I2. When it is desired to adjust the angular relation of the pad II with respect to the surface of'the belt I, the legs 9 maybe bent toward or away from the pad I I. It is to be understood that while the legs 9 are resilient enough to resiliently urge the pad II into engagement with the body of the wearer, they are of such construction that the metal thereof may be permanently deformed to obtain an adjustment by bending them. Thus, a complete range of adjustments is obtainable.

While in the drawing only one pad is shown on the belt I, it will be understood that a pad II may be disposed in either or both sides of the belt I, depending on the requirements of the wearer.

In 'Fig. 5 is disclosed another form of attaching member for the pad I I. In this case the attaching member I1 is also formed of a resilient wire reversely bent upon itself. However, instead of attaching the attachment member I1 to It will also be understood that the the pad II by a scalloped dished member equivalent to the member I2 disclosed in Fig. 3, the legs I8 at the free ends of the member II are clamped to the pad II by a yoke member I9, which is in turn clamped to the pad I I by a screw 20. on the screw 20 with respect to the pad II so that a rotary adjustment of the attachment member I! may be obtained. Also, the attachment member I'I may be permanently deformed by bending to adjust the angular relation of the pad II with respect to the surface of the belt I. However, it will be understood that when the attachment member I1 is used, instead of using a pair of holes such as the openings 8 disclosed in Fig. 2, an appropriately shaped hole will be required opening into a wide channel. Such a hole and channel may be constructed in the belt I in a manner which will be readily understood.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that while I have disclosed only two forms of attachment structure, other forms may be devised. Accordingly, I do not wish to limit myself except by the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, comprising an abdominal belt and a hernia pad or the like secured thereto, elongated supporting means for said pad, means for securing one nd of said elongated supporting means to one side of said pad and for rotatably adjusting the same with respect to said pad, said elongated supporting means extending from said side in generally overlapping and spaced relation thereto, the other end of said elongated supporting means being free, and a pocket having a plurality of vertically spaced openings provided by said belt for receiving said supporting means, whereby the position of said pad may be adjusted by selecting any desired opening for said supporting means.

2. In a device of the character described, comprising an abdominal belt and a hernia pad or the like secured thereto, a reversibly bent wire or the like providing adjacently disposed legs, means for connecting one leg of said wire to said pad, and for rotatably adjusting said leg with respect to said pad, and a pocket having a plurality of openings provided by said belt for receiving the other leg of said wire or the like, whereby the position of said pad may be adjusted by selecting any desired opening for said other leg.

3. In a device of the character described, comprising an abdominal belt and a hernia pad or the like secured thereto, a reversibly bent wire or the like providing adjacently disposed legs, means for connecting one leg of said wire to the rear surface of said pad and for rotatably adjusting said leg with respect to said pad, whereby said wire or the like may be adjusted as to angular relation with respect to said pad, and a plurality of receptacles provided by said belt for the other leg of said wire or the like, whereby the position of .said pad may be adjusted by selecting any desired receptacle for said other leg.

4. In a device of the character described, comprising an abdominal belt and a hernia pad or the like secured thereto, a reversibly bent wire or the like providing adjacently disposed legs, means for securing one leg of said wire to a surface of said pad, and for rotatably adjusting said leg with respect to said pad, and a tubular jacket having a plurality of openings therein for receiving the other leg of said wire or the like, whereby the position of said pad may be adjusted by se- The yoke member I9 may be free to rotate lecting any desired opening in said jacket for said other leg.

5. In a device of the character described, comprising an abdominal belt and a hernia pad or the like secured thereto, a reversibly bent wire or the like providing adjacently disposed legs, means connecting one leg of said wire or the like to said pad, said means comprising a dishshaped member having the concave side thereof facing toward said pad and means for clamping said member to said pad, the edge of said dishshaped member having a plurality of scallops for receiving said leg of said wire or the like, whereby the angular relation of said pad with respect to said wire or the like may be adjusted by selecting predetermined scallops for receiving one leg of said wire, and a plurality of receptacles provided by saidbelt for receiving the other leg of said wire or the like, whereby the position of said pad with respect to said belt may be adjusted by selecting any desired receptacle for said other leg.

6. In a device of the character described, com prising an abdominal belt and a hernia pad or the like secured thereto, a reversibly bent wire or the like reversibly bent upon itself to provide a pair of legs having a closed end and a pair of legs having free ends, means to clamp one of said pairs of legs to a surface of said pad, said means comprising a dish-shaped member facing toward said pad and means to clamp said dishshaped member to said pad, the edge of said dishshaped member having a plurality of scallops for receiving said last named legs of said reversibly bent wire or the like, whereby the angular relation of the same may be adjusted with respect to said pad by selecting predetermined ones of said scallops for receiving said last named legs, and a plurality of receptacles provided by said belt for receiving said other pair of legs, whereby the position of said pad with respect to said belt may be adjusted by selecting any desired pair of receptacles for said other pair of legs.

7. A pad of the character described, comprising a body portion, a reversibly bent wire or the like providing adjacently disposed legs, and means for connecting one leg of said wire or the like to said pad, said means comprising a dishshaped member having the concave side thereof facing toward said pad, and means for clamping said member to said pad, the edge of said dishshaped member having a plurality of scallops for receiving said leg of said wire or the like, whereby the angular relation of said pad with respect to said wire or the like may be adjusted by selecting predetermined scallops for receiving the same.

8. A pad of the character described, comprising a body portion, a reversibly bent wire or the like reversibly bent upon itself to provide a pair of legs having a closed end and a pair of legs having free ends, means to clamp one of said pairs of legs to the surface of said pad, said means comprising a dish-shaped member facing toward said pad, and means to clamp said dishshaped member to said pad, the edge of said dishshaped member having a plurality of scallops for receiving one of said pairs of legs of said reversibly bent wire or the like, whereby the angular relation of said wire may be adjusted with respect to the pad by selecting predetermined ones of said scallops for receiving said last named legs.

COLIN GRANT. 

